Blood in the Water
by maddizoe
Summary: It's the 9th year of the Hunger Games and District 4 has yet to have a Victor.
1. Chapter 1

My hands shake. I stare down at my feet, my smart black shoes are caked in mud from the walk to the square. It's raining, but I'm used to the water. I spend my days swimming in the lakes, watching my father while he goes fishing. He's taught me a few things; about fish hooks and spears, and he was the one who taught me how to swim.  
I look up as the strange lady on the stage finishes talking. She wears her blue hair, if you can call it hair, in two high tails either side of her head, her lips are painted bright pink, and the skin on her face looks so tight that she can barely make an expression.  
'Ladies first, I think,' she speaks with her weird Capitol accent. Her hand reaches into the bowl of girls' names; the names of all the girls in our district between the ages of 12 and 18 who are elligible to be a tribute in the Hunger Games. This is it's 9th year. I remember the first year it started, I was 5, and my 12 year old brother got reaped, and consequently killed in the games. District 4 has never had a victor. Being 14, my name is in the bowl 3 times. My younger brother, now 12, has his name in the boy's bowl only once.  
Her hand grasps a piece of paper, from somewhere in the middle. We hold our breath as she takes to the microphone again.  
'Maggie Cohen,' the name rings out. People all around me shuffle nervously out of my way as I step, in a trance, towards the aisle.  
I walk past my brother, Samuel, and he reaches out for my hand. I stop and turn to him, and nod, he lets go. I carry on to the stage, up the stairs, and stare out at my district.  
'Ok, now the boys,' she smiles, sickeningly, and reaches her hand right to the bottom of the boy's bowl. When she approaches the microphone, hush fills the square.  
'Samuel Cohen.'


	2. Chapter 2

I hear my mother's faint cry at the back of the crowd, as both her remaining children stand on the stage as tributes, about to be thrust into a game from which they will probably not be returning.  
'Can I ask you something?' the Capitol lady asks me. I nod slowly. 'Are you two related?'  
'He's my brother,' I whisper, choking back tears.  
'Keeping it in the family this year folks,' she says gleefully into the microphone. 'Let's have a round of applause for brother and sister tributes, Maggie and Samuel Cohen.'  
There is a slow, sullen applause from the crowd, whilst she claps enthusiastically to herself. I feel the sting of anger in the back of my throat, the hate for her, the hate for the Capitol. And then the determination, that either me or Samuel must return. I can't leave my mother without any children at all.  
The peacekeepers usher us into the building behind the stage, and separate us into rooms for goodbyes.  
There's a chair in the room, one chair, that looks comfy enough, but I'm too anxious to sit. I pace the room, up and down, waiting for someone to come in. And I don't have to wait long. The door bursts open and I see my father standing there, his face worn with sadness. He rushes over to me and picks me up in his strong arms, holding me tight, then he sets me down again.  
'You listen to me, Maggie,' he says. 'You can win, you have a strong mind, and I know you have the determination. Use a spear. I'll see you again, I'll see you when you come back.'  
'Dad, what if there isn't a spear?' I ask, my lip trembling.  
'You'll find a way.' He kisses me on the forehead. 'You're my girl, Mags.'  
He is beckoned out of the room, and then my mother appears. She just hugs me and cries until she is taken away again.  
Then I'm being taken. Away from my family, away from my home, forever.


	3. Chapter 3

We sit on the train, next to each other, Samuel and I. We don't say a thing, but I hold his hand tight. It's just us two and the strange Capitol lady whose name is apparently Tree. She babbles on at us about how we have to make people like us so they can sponsor us in the arena, but I barely listen, I just stare out of the window.  
The train journey seems to take forever, but when we finally reach the Capitol, me and Samuel are ripped apart from each other once more.  
'Maggie, don't let them take me,' he cries out. Numb of all emotion I just stare after him as he screams and kicks out at the peacekeepers. I'll see him again before the games, I know, but I don't think he does.  
I'm lead to a room with what looks like an uncomfortable metal bed raised up to about chest level, and three women standing around it. They beckon me to take off my clothes and put on a short gown and then lay on the bed. I do as I'm told, like a robot.  
'Maggie, we're your prep team, we're going to make you look beautiful,' shreaks one of the ladies. She has spikey green hair, and olive skin. Her nails are long and painted with a swirling green pattern. The other two ladies look identical; twins. They both have pulled back pink hair, dark skin, and blue lips. The only difference I can see between them is that one of them has a scar down their left cheek. 'My name is Candice, and this is Eva and Ella.'  
I nod slightly in acknowledgement and then they all gather round me, washing me down with several liquids and soaps, washing my hair, scrubbing my nails, and my face. One of the twins pulls out some paper strips and starts sticking them to my legs. And then, RIP, she rips the strip off, and pain sears through my skin. I scream out and they all laugh at me.  
'It's wax dear,' says the twin. 'It get's rid of the hair, it's the smoothest way.'  
They carry on ripping the hairs from my legs, and then another woman walks in the room. The three ladies stand behind me, as if presenting me to her. This new woman stands tall, very tall, and has long blonde hair that falls in waves down her back, one of her ears is covered in piercings, and she has one in her nose as well. Her eyes are red, I'm sure it must be artificial.  
'Maggie, hello,' she speaks softly as she sits me up on the bed. 'I'm Loretta, your stylist. I'm so sorry about the situation you find yourself in.'  
'Everyone else seems pleased,' I scowl. She looks at me sympathetically.  
'It is an honour to represent your District, but it can also be a sacrafice, and coming here with your brother...' she pauses, and looks down, 'I can't imagine how you must feel.'  
Candice coughs behind me, as if to remind Loretta what she is here to do.  
'I'm here to dress you, and decide how you have your hair and your make-up. We have the tributes parade today, that's the first task,' she explains. The twins giggle excitedly as she talks. 'Can you fetch the dress please Candice.'  
Candice disappears through a door to the side and returns with a floorlength grey bag. Standing in front of me, they open it, to reveal my dress for the parade. And I can say, I am pleasantly surprised.


	4. Chapter 4

I turn as I look at myself in the mirror.  
'Wow,' I gasp. 'I look...'  
'Beautiful,' Loretta finishes.  
I'm wearing a blue dress that fits close to my body until it gets to my knees where it splays out into a skirt that is covered with sequins. And the pattern on my chest is also covered with sequins.  
The twins spent ages drawing down the side of my face with a shell pattern, and Candice has curled my hair and pulled it up into a bun, leaving a few bits to hang loose by my face. My hair looks glittery, like it is shimmering. As she shows me the back of my hair I see a star, like a starfish, covering the bun. Then I realise, I look like a mermaid.  
They all look excited as I twirl. I am their finished piece of art.  
I am lead out to the chariots, where we will start the parade. Samuel is there waiting for me, sitting on the chariot, head in hands. He's been dressed in tight white trousers and a loose blue top, his face has a similar pattern to mine.  
I sit next to him and put my hand on his knee. He looks up, and then throws his hands around my neck.  
'I'm so sorry,' I cry. 'I'm sorry I couldn't protect you.'  
'Don't cry, you'll ruin your make-up,' he sniffles. I pull away and smile at him. 'You look amazing, Maggie.'  
'You look pretty good yourself,' I say, wiping a tear from his eye. 'Come on, we have to pull ourselves together for this parade.'  
'We're going to die aren't we?' he asks, there's a catch in his voice that breaks my heart.  
I nod and fix his hair. 'Probably,' I whisper. 'But let's not worry, let's just enjoy the Capitol while we're here.'  
The fanfare sounds for the start of the parade, and the other tributes climb onto their chariots. Loretta, and Samuel's stylist, Esther, help us up and we steady ourselves as the horses shuffle themselves into position. Our prep teams stand together, smiling and waving us off into the screaming crowds.


	5. Chapter 5

The crowd screams our names and throws flowers into the road in front of the horses. I cling onto Sam's hand, and onto the side of the chariot, smiling nervously as we travel towards the training centre and towards President Allbright.  
We reach the square where the President will make his speech, and the horses slow to a stop. We look up as the anthem plays, and an elderly man is wheeled out to the stand; the President.  
When you look closer, you notice that he's not as old as he looks. His hair is greying, not white, and although his skin is loose and full of wrinkles, his eyes look young. He is ill.  
'Ladies and Gentlmen, and tributes,' he begins as the music finishes. 'Welcome to the start of the 9th Annual Hunger Games.' The crowd cheers. 'Tributes, we thank you for your bravery, and your sacrifice in coming here. May the odds be ever in your favour.'  
The crowd whoops and cheers again, and the chariots pull away into the training centre, where we will live for the next two weeks.  
We climb down from the chariots and are greeted by our prep teams. There is another man with them now. He has slicked back black hair, piercing cheekbones, and jewels along his eyebrows. He wears tight red trousers, a white shirt, and a black jacket with tails, his black shoes finish in a point at the toes.  
He holds a hand out to each of us in turn, which we shake. 'Hello, Maggie, Samuel, very pleased to meet you,' he smiles enthusiastically. 'My name is Pip. I will be acting as your mentor as you have not yet had a victor from your district.'  
'So you're from the Capitol?' I ask. He nods. 'Wouldn't you just want to watch us crach and burn? For fun? Doesn't the Capitol just want District 1 and 2 to win?'  
'Au contraire, my dear Mags,...' he replies.  
'Don't call me that,' I snap, interrupting him. He backs up slightly.  
'Sorry, Maggie. But I don't want you to lose. I very much want one of you to win.'


	6. Chapter 6

Pip sits across from us at the table in our suite as we eat dinner after the parade. I'm not hungry from all the nerves and the anger and hatred, but I eat some of the bread. He talks as he eats. 'Training starts tomorrow, you want to learn survival skills, and find a weapon that you can use the best,' he explains. 'Training might also be a good time to scope out any potential allies. You might need some to last longer in there.' 'What if we don't like anyone?' I ask. 'What if no one likes us?' Samuel interjects. I look at him and smile, people will like him I'm sure; he's loyal, modest, and doesn't have a bad bone in his body. Me on the other hand, I'm sour and bitter. He might argue with me on that fact, as I am only ever nice to him, but the games have taken us, and that makes me angry, it always has. 'Be nice, make friends,' Pip says to Samuel. 'But if we make friends, then we have to kill our friends...' Samuel thinks out loud. I hold his hand under the table, squeezing it reassuringly. 'If you don't kill them, they will kill you,' I tell him, and Pip nods in agreement. 'And you need to be fit and healthy to be able to be strong enough to kill,' Pip leans across the table, staring at me and my empty dinner plate. 'You need to eat.' 'I'm not hungry,' I say, picking at the bread in my hand. 'Eat,' Pip insists, spooning some brown liquid with chunks of meat in it onto my plate. I smile up at him reluctantly and slowly eat it. 'It's stew,' he tells me. 'With beef.' I smile, the taste comes alive in my mouth. Back in District 4 we would have fish stew quite a lot, but I'd never had beef. The meat is succulent, tough but easy to chew. 'Thank you,' I say to Pip. We finish our meals as our prep teams chatter, exchanging jokes and stories. Then we are ushered off to bed. 'Big day tomorrow,' Tree, our chaperone, smiles enthusiastically. 'We must get our beauty sleep.' Me and Samuel are locked into seperate bedrooms. I hate being away from him at the moment, he's so young and scared, I just want to comfort him. But I change into the night clothes that have been left on my bed, and cuddle up in the sheets. I can hear the excitement from the streets of the Capitol outside of our windows, several floors below, but loud enough that it sounds as if it's right outisde. It's almost enough to keep me awake, but slowly I drift into a deep sleep, left exhausted from the day. 


End file.
